“Prosecutorial discretion for dreamers is solely based on the individual’s claims. Our orders are if an alien says they went to high school, then let them go,” [Border Patrol union leader Chis Crane] said at a press conference with GOP senators.

It wouldn’t be that hard for al Qaeda or similar jihadists to tutor some of their top bomb guys about how to act Mexican and say “I’m a Dreamer,” then funnel them across the southern border into the defenseless United States. The terrorists wouldn’t have to be convincing — as the Border Patrol complains, there is no requirement of any proof at all. All DREAMer claimers get in. Is that a welcome mat for enemies or what?

[. . .] Few Americans know that these threats on our doorstep can be traced back in large measure to the narco-state that has taken root in Venezuela under the reckless regime of Hugo Chavez.

This hostile government is managed by Cuba’s security apparatus, funded by China, armed by Russia, and partnered with Iran, Hezbollah, and Colombian and Mexican narco-traffickers.

U.S. authorities and prosecutors have gathered fresh, compelling evidence implicating senior Venezuelan officials — including Chavez himself — in the drug trade. Chavez has also forged an important strategic alliance with Iran to allow that radical regime to evade international sanctions and to advance its asymmetrical threat against the United States. Iran’s terror proxy, Hezbollah, is hosted in Venezuela, where it is actively engaged in narco-trafficking in the Americas. [. . .]

A reminder of the threat was underlined by a Wednesday item in security analyst Bill Gertz’ column:

A jihadist website posted a new threat by al Qaeda this week that promises to conduct “shocking” attacks on the United States and the West.

The posting appeared on the Ansar al Mujahidin network Sunday and carried the headline, “Map of al Qaeda and its future strikes.”

The message, in Arabic, asks: “Where will the next strike by al Qaeda be?” A translation was obtained by Inside the Ring.

“The answer for it, in short: The coming strikes by al Qaeda, with God’s Might, will be in the heart of the land of nonbelief, America, and in France, Denmark, other countries in Europe, in the countries that helped and are helping France, and in other places that shall be named by al Qaeda at other times,” the threat states.

The attacks will be “strong, serious, alarming, earth-shattering, shocking and terrifying.”

Under a section of the post on the method of the attacks, the unidentified writer said the strikes would be “group and lone-wolf operations, in addition to the use of booby-trapped vehicles.”

“All operations will be recorded and published in due time,” the message said. “Let France be prepared, and let the helpers of France be prepared, for it is going to be a long war of attrition.”

The reference to France appears linked to the group’s plans for retaliation against the French-led military strikes in northern Mali in operations to oust al Qaeda terrorists from the North African country.

The Ansar al-Mujahidin network is a well-known jihadist forum that in the past has published reliably accurate propaganda messages from al Qaeda and its affiliates.

U.S. counterterrorism actions over the past 10 years have prevented al Qaeda from conducting major attacks. However, U.S. officials warn that the group continues to be dangerous, despite the killing of its top leaders in drone strikes and special operations.

A U.S. official said the threat is being taken seriously by the U.S. government.

“Extremists regularly make threats online,” he told Inside the Ring. “This one is not particularly unusual, but of course should be taken seriously.”